Chapter 9: Song of the Soul
Maka looked at the large golden door. The giant W. E. on the front made her certain it was Soul's bother's house. It took her way too long to find it without a discernible address. She held the letter tightly in her hand, her palms sweating beneath her white gloves. She could have just sent another to the return address. Soul would have probably preferred that anyway. But the rain had completely smeared the lettering so it was impossible to read. She tried to find a mailbox to slip the letter inside, with a post it containing Soul's new address, but there didn't seem to be one anywhere she looked.
Just knock on the door, return the letter and leave, she told herself. She didn't feel comfortable doing this, but Soul would never actually agree to telling the man the truth, even if it was his only brother who Maka knew he still really wanted to respect. Maybe there was still time to fix their relationship. She of course, couldn't be the one to do it, but at least she could try. She brought her hand up the giant knocker and knocked three times. The sound of the metal clanking against the wood echoed throughout the hall. She dropped the letter on the ground and began to walk away.
"Maka," said a sickly sweet voice. Maka turned around to see Wes Evans standing there. She could see how Soul would want her to be cautious. "What are you doing here?" She cleared her throat.
"I um..." she picked up and handed him the letter. "I'm sorry. I didn't have your phone number. I would have sent you a letter but I thought it would be quicker if I told you in person. You should know that Soul and I aren't living together anymore. I came to give you his new address." She reached into her pocket and pulled out another piece of paper with Soul's new residence. He accepted it graciously.
"Oh. I see. Why, might I ask? Did things not work out?" Maka blushed. If only that were the case. If only it were just too difficult to be together. If only the stress of their new positions had caused them to drift away like normal meisters and weapons. Then, she thought, maybe things would have been different. Then they wouldn't have been forced apart like they were. Then she could have at least been happy.
"No," she managed to say. "Nothing like that. He just...they...didn't want us to live together anymore. So we can't."
"That doesn't sound very professional."
"Please," she protested. "I don't really want to talk about it. Could you just take the address and let it slide. I can't...I don't know how long this feud between you and Soul has gone on, but if there's any way you could make things right again," she found herself holding her hands together in a plead, "I really think Soul needs his older brother right now." Wes nodded and opened the door wider.
"Would you like to come in? It's rather cold out there and I haven't had company in a while." He grinned. Maka's face turned pink. If you ever want to be treated like a woman...she still was unsure what he was getting at that day. His politeness was refreshing.
"No, I couldn't. I should get back before Blair starts to worry."
"Just for a spell. Please, I insist. You came all this way."
There was no arguing. It wasn't long before, despite all of her plans not to enter the house or get any more involved with Soul's brother, she was inside sitting on a black couch in a hall of white. If possible, Wes' house was almost more elaborate than his parents'. High ceilings, rows and rows of hallways and doors.
"Do you like champagne?" Wes asked, pouring two glasses just in case. Maka shook her head.
"I...I don't know. I don't drink," she replied. Wes sighed, disappointed.
"Perhaps you should start." He handed the glass to her. "I find it relaxes one into the evening." He took a sip and sat down on the couch. "It seems that my brother has rubbed off on you a bit. Shame. You have much more class than he does."
"You don't know him very well, do you?" she asked. "I mean you lived together and you talked on occasion but I feel like you don't really know him at all." She tried to remain calm, but it was becoming difficult. "As his brother you should be encouraging him, not putting him down all of the time. Soul said it wasn't always like that. What happened?"
"Nothing really," he said. "Go on, take a sip. You're stressing yourself out."
"I am not!" Maka snapped before letting her cool take over again. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here. I'm just wasting my time." She got up and took a sip of the champagne without thinking. The taste was bubbly and bitter, unlike anything she had ever tasted before. But soon it settled and left a searing after taste she couldn't quite comprehend. Suddenly, she felt weak. She tried to walk out the door but found herself stumbling.
"Wow. All that after one sip? You really can't hold your alcohol." Maka shook her head. This wasn't alcohol. It couldn't be. Her father drank all of the time, and her mother did upon occasion. One sip shouldn't be that taxing on her system. Wait...that taste. She had tasted it before. The first time it was bitter, this time it was salty like seawater. There was no doubt about it. This is magic. Before she could think she was collapsed in Wes' arms, too weak to move.
"Let go of me! Why'd you-" she wriggled as much as she could. She suddenly felt like she was going to throw up. "Leggo!" Her words became more slurred.
"Maka! Come with me. I can help you."
"I dun want any help from you! You-you poisoned me!" she said slapping him and finally falling to the ground where she spit up all over the tile floor. She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Get off!"
"I want to-"
"This is magic! You poisoned me with magic! I know this taste! I tasted it once before after defeating a witch. I know it! You..." her eyes started to fall. The last thing she saw before everything went black was Wes and a black figure looming over him. Her heart stopped. Soul...it looked as though it were him, but it wasn't.
***
Maka awoke in a dark black room. A single light shone from the top, only illuminating part of the floor. She didn't remember where she was or how she got there. But she knew one thing. Soul was right. His brother truly was evil. But what did he want? She couldn't grasp it. What exactly was it that pushed someone who had everything his heart desired off the edge? Her thoughts were interrupted by two white hands slamming themselves down on her wrists. The air around her grew warmer as she felt the sensation of breath on her neck.
"How does it feel?" the question burned in her mind. "To be completely helpless?" The voice did in fact belong to Wes, but it was different. There wasn't an inch of light in it. It was as though he were an animal pouncing on its prey. Maka scowled, she hated being taunted. But she couldn't bring herself to speak, whether out of fear or anger was yet to be decided. "To know," he continued. "That I could have my way with you at any given moment, and you can do nothing to stop it." Maka's eyes widened. Her body began to shake. "Aww, you're trembling." He reached his head down and sniffed her hair. "And you smell like fear."
"You're...you're wrong," she managed to say as she spat in his face. "I'm not afraid of you." She looked him straight in the eye as he glared down at her with a wild expression. Maka noticed something about him for the first time. His teeth were sharp, like fangs. She blinked. "You're...You're not..."
"So," Wes said. "You're figured it out." His body began to morph as his skin grew darker, his hair shorter and spikier. Maka felt her entire body tense. "It's about fucking time. I hate pretending to be that prick."
"Giriko..." Maka hissed.
"Now that I have some free time," he said tracing his tongue across her face. "We can play a little before I tear you to pieces."
"Don't play too rough," Another voice came. This time, it was a woman. Giriko released Maka and stood up.
"It's about time you showed up," he snapped. He turned to Maka and smiled. "We were almost about to have all the fun without you." Maka grit her teeth and kicked Giriko in the back of the knee, causing him to fall down. She stood up, but only for a second as weakness took ahold of her once more.
"I've been waiting a long time for this," the woman said. She walked slowly towards Maka with a menacing smile.
"Who-who are you?"
The woman stepped into the circle of light. Maka could see now. Her hair was in dredlocks and she wore a blue dress with no shoes and tattoos all over her body. "Calypso." She reached down and grabbed Maka by the pigtail. "Sister of the witch Arachne." Maka's eyes widened. Of course, she remembered how she had murdered the witch Arachne in cold blood in order to feed her soul to Soul. How he became a Death Scythe.
"I see now," Maka said. "This was your plan. You want me dead because I killed your sister. For revenge." The witch laughed, which made Maka uncomfortable.
"Kill you? Why would I want to do a thing like that?" She pulled tighter on her pigtail. "Death is mercy compared for what I have in store for you." She pressed her lips to Maka's ears. "By the end, you will have nothing. You will be nothing. Just like you made my sister nothing." she sneered. "And I'll start by taking the thing most precious to you. Because, let's face it darling, we both know there's only one thing in this world you really care about." She let go of her hair as she dropped to the floor. Suddenly there was a knock on the door, followed by a pounding. "Oh, that must be our guest." Maka's heart stopped. A strong, angry soul and just come into her presence. A soul she knew all too well.
"No...no please!" Maka gripped the witch's dress, but was knocked down to the ground.
"Wes, would you be a dear and let him inside?"
"I won't let you do this...I'll die before I-"
"Yes, haha. I know."
***
Soul pounded on the door as hard as he could. Maka was in there. He knew it. He was the only one capable of saving her from his brother. His lies and his deceit. She probably won't believe me at first, he thought to himself. But it didn't matter. Any situation with Wes and Maka together in the same room alone made him too uncomfortable to do nothing. He couldn't fight knowing she was here. Azusa would have to understand. The door opened as Wes Evans appeared in the doorway.
"I was wondering when you'd show up." Wes grinned. Soul, without realizing, had his blade out and placed against Wes' neck.
"Where's Maka?"
"You lost your meister? Already? Oh how cute."
"I don't have time for your games right now, Wes! I know she's here! Just let me see her!" Soul snapped. Wes nodded, gesturing him inside. Soul ran inside the dark house and called out for her. He heard nothing.
"She's upstairs," Wes said. Soul didn't hesitate. He searched every door, every closet, calling for her, feeling her wavelength. Finally, he came to the last door. He felt her soul strong as ever. He tried to open it. It was locked. He froze. Just like in the dream. He prayed he could burst through like he did all those other times, but that the end result would be different. He called to her.
Maka? Maka can you hear me?
He was elated to hear her voice on the other end. Even if it was just through Soul resonance.
Soul...
It was weak and faded in and out. She couldn't do resonance in this state, he figured. He tried the knob again and surprisingly this time it opened. He didn't stop to think about why that might be. His only concern was getting to Maka in time. He wasn't sure what his brother did...but he wasn't expecting this! Had he seriously gone off the deep end this time? He arrived in the dark room with the single light that shined in the center. There in the light was Maka, lying on the floor just like in his dream. Only this time, to his relief, she was fully clothed and unharmed.
"Maka!" He called out as he ran to her. She stood up quickly, seemingly having her strength back and called back to him. But as she ran towards him a giant strip of seaweed came out of the ground and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back to her former position on the ground. She tried to rip it apart, but it was too much. The weed was too thick. Soul ran as fast as he could, making sure he didn't get attacked by it as well. He reached her with little difficulty. "Maka!" he said finally reaching down to her. "What's going on?"
"Soul! Go! You have to get out of here! They're going to-" The seaweed wrapped tighter around her waist. Her breath became short. "Just go!"
"No way!" he yelled, attempting to cut the weed with his blade. It failed. "Damn."
"It's no use. The magic is too strong."
"You're only saying that because we were separated. But we're together now, Maka. We'll get out of this." He grabbed her hand. "We'll use Soul resonance to-"
"There's no point! She'll just keep coming and coming! There's no way out now!"
"What are you talking about? Where's that blind confidence you're used to having? Come on! We can do this!" He squeezed her hand tighter. She reached her other one to touch his cheek. The motion startled him.
"There's no time. I can't...I don't have..." the weed tightened.
"No! Come on! Don't do this..."
"Soul..." she said weakly. "Wes...is..."
"What?"
"...he's..." She felt her stomach being sucked in as her air passageways began to close.
"Maka?" No answer. "Maka!" He tried once again to cut the weed. Damn it, Maka I swore I wouldn't lose you. I swore that after this was all over...I wouldn't hide anymore. Over and over again he sliced and pushed but it wouldn't cut. He started to panic. Suddenly without warning, a second weed sprang up and wrapped around Soul. It stretched up and suspended him in the air. He looked as a woman came out of the darkness. Soul's heart dropped.
"Well," the woman said. "What a nice surprise."
"It's you!" he snapped. "You're the witch from my dream!"
"I am Calypso. Witch of the island sands," she announced. Soul scoffed. That explained the peculiar plant life. The weed lowered down until he was right at her eye level. "I must say, you're a lot shorter in person."
As if on cue Wes stepped out of the darkness alongside Calypso. Soul's jaw it the floor. "W-wes? You're working for-Why?" he grit his teeth. "Where's your sense of dignity?" The man laughed.
"You're terrible...can't even recognize your own flesh and blood." Wes stepped into the light as he transformed. Soul squinted his eyes to see Giriko's flashing teeth.
"You!" he stumbled.
"You're even stupider than I remember, kid," Giriko sneered.
"But...if you're..." Soul's eyes grew wide. "Where is my brother?" he shouted. "What have you done with him?"
"Hahaha! You still wanna play with him? Even after everything he did to make your life miserable? You goody goodies are all the same. If he were my brother, his blood would already be splattered against the walls."
"That's between me and him!" Soul exclaimed. "A painful history is nothing to kill over!"
"Really?" Giriko chortled. "What about the way he talked to your bitch?"
Soul could feel his face distort, his blood beginning to race. "She has nothing to do with it!"
"Oh?" The witch interjected. "But you see, she has everything to do with it." She walked up to him and pinched his chin. "It's thanks to that meister of yours that my sister, Arachne, is dead. Now she will receive punishment." Soul looked over at Giriko, who smiled maliciously.
"If you touch her-"
"I won't have to," Calypso ensured. She snapped her fingers and the weed holding Maka was released. She gasped for breath and coughed up on the floor. "Sending her to eternal peace seems in fairly poor taste."
"Then what do you plan to do?" The weed chopped itself off from the top, leaving Soul's arms and hands still bound as he fell to the floor. She pulled him up by the hair and smiled.
"Come with me and find out." She turned to Giriko. "Take the girl to the basement. I will deal with her later."
Giriko picked Maka up and tossed her over his shoulder. "Yeah, Yeah..." Maka squirmed, trying to break free.
"No! Put me down!" she screamed. "Soul!" She cried out to him. There was a loud bang and suddenly the room was covered with smoke. She continued to call out to him, but it was no use. Giriko groaned as he carried her down the stairs. "Let go of me!" she shouted, wiggling around trying to escape. Giriko scoffed, not even bothering to respond.
They reached the basement where he threw Maka into what looked to be a wine cellar. She gripped the bars and glared at the chainsaw.
"Comfy?" Giriko asked mockingly.
Maka scowled. "Why don't you just fight me like a real villain?" Maka taunted. "You just do what everyone else tells you to do!"
"Shut up!" Giriko shouted, gripping Maka's hand through the bars, pulling her forward. "By the end of this, I'm not the one who's gonna explode from bloodlust." He let go of her and laughed, leaving her alone in the dark.
"Get back here!" she exclaimed. "Tell me where Soul is!" He ignored her as he shut the basement door. Maka felt her breath shorten. "Oh god..." she muttered to herself, leaning against the bars. "Okay." She bit her lip. She had to calm down and think of a way out. A way to help Soul.
"Heh...you lost lil lady?" a voice came from the darkness. Maka turned around to see a bottle of wine move up and down, glistening in the light. "I dun remember havin company."
Maka's eyes bulged. "W-Wes?" she asked hesitantly. The man hiccuped and slammed the bottle down to the ground.
"Hey..." he said stepping to the light. "I know you! You're the lil baby girl my brother always talks about." He stumbled over to her and leaned against the bars. Maka recoiled. The man smelled like fermentation.
"Are you...drunk?"
Wes stared at her, his eyes bloodshot. "Wattelse am I gonna do locked in a fffuckering wine cellar? You wanna bottle?" he said, holding her his bottle. "Well too bad dis is my bottle an you cannhave any!" He fell to the ground and stuck the bottle back in his mouth.
"Wes..." Maka said getting down to his level. "How long have you been down here?"
"Oh...bout..." he looked at his wrist that didn't have a watch on it. "Two minutes er so."
"Two minutes?"
He hiccuped again. "Er days..."
She grabbed him by the collar and shook him. "Wes! The people who locked you in here...they have Soul. We have to get out and try to find him!"
"Ohhh...no. Not a good idea."
"Where did she take him?" Wes shrugged. "Wes! I have to find Soul! I have to save him! Where did she take him?"
"Girl, you know there's a witch in my house, right?"
"I don't care!" she screamed. "I'm not going to let him die!"
"Holl on crazy bitch!" He cleared his throat, dropping the bottle and trying to act sober. "You can't just get out of the wine cellar. Here, have a drink." He noticed then that he dropped the bottle.
"Hang on!" Maka said noticing something. "These are loose hinges. The right amount of pressure and they should break free."
Wes shrugged. "Thatter you could just use the back secret passage in the back of the door," Wes slurred.
"There's a...Why didn't you mention that earlier?" Wes started to open another bottle of wine, but Maka tore it out of his hands.
"Hey!"
"Show me the exit!"
"Oh no! There'r spiders in there...creepy ass mother fuckers."
"That's why you haven't escaped? You're afraid of spiders?!"
"Not as much that as I am of witches..."
"Well you don't have to follow me," she commanded. "But Soul is my partner! I know that doesn't mean anything to you! Or anyone else in this world! But it means something to me! You know where he is. I know you do." Her eyes narrowed. "So take me to him."
"It's too late, Maka. By the time you get there-"
"Take me to him!"
"No!" He immediately regretted his answer. Maka's hand was already clenched in a fist as she knocked him square in the face. His nose bled. She repeatedly hit him, asking him to tell her where the passage let out. He finally caved. "Okay! Okay! I'll show you the way out!" Maka dropped Wes to the floor. He walked over to the exit where he opened a small wooden door that was covered in cobwebs.
"There you go." She thanked him half-heartedly and then took off running. "Yer too weak to fight her, Maka! It's futile!" Wes called back. Maka ignored him and headed trough the door. Soul...don't worry. I won't let go. I can feel you with me. She closed her eyes and sensed his soul. You're always there.
***
Soul was furious. Not only could he not transform into a scythe and cut himself free, but he also had to sit next to Calypso who treated him like a child. The seaweed in his mouth tasted terrible. Maka was with his brother, and who knew what that was going to end up like. Overall, this was turning out to be a very uncool day.
"Well, look at me. I've got my very own Death Scythe and a rich mansion to boot. I'm doing pretty well for myself, wouldn't you say, Soul?" she taunted, knowing full well he couldn't respond. Soul gave her a glare. "Oh, come now, don't be that way. I let your little Meister live, you should be happy. Which reminds me." She ripped out the seaweed from his mouth as he gasped for fresh air. She held a glass of water up to his mouth. "Drink this."
"I'd rather taste the seaweed."
"You know, you're being very unreasonable. You won't even resonate souls with me." She held the water up to his face again. He scowled.
"Maka is my partner. I don't work with witches."
"I know," she said sloshing the water around a while. "Neither did your brother. But just two drops of this made him reconsider." Soul's chest grew tight. Wes? He was...brainwashed? He supposed it made sense. Apart from being a total dick, though, he seemed like his own self.
"Why?" was all he could ask. "Why use my brother? What could possibly have had to gain? Giriko would have worked just as fine. Or someone else..."
"Oh but that would have been boring! And he just loved you so much it was difficult not to pick him. Easy connection. Easy choice." She took the glass and dumped it into what looked to be a turkey baster only much nicer.
"You...you are a monster."
"Yes," she brought the device up to his lips. "And soon you will be too. What a perfect pair we'll be."
"Hey Calypso!" a raspy voice shouted. The witch rolled her eyes. "I can't find the girl. I think she might have-"
"There's no need to worry," Calypso said caressing Soul's head. "All is set into motion. I am no longer in need of your services."
Giriko felt as though his brain had just fallen out. "What the hell is that supposed to mean, Lady?" he spat.
"My revenge is almost complete. This next part doesn't concern you. So go home, Giriko. Take a bath or something."
"Y-You can't fire me!" He screamed.
"I believe I just did..." Calypso said, her arrogance dripping from her lips. Soul couldn't help but feel disgusted. This lady was just so certain she had won.
"YOU BI-" With a snap of her fingers Giriko vanished in a speck of light. Soul restrained from dropping his jaw, though it was hard. "Well now," she said turning back to Soul. "I'm certainly glad that's over. Now...where were we?"
"Calypso!" The two turned to see Maka, completely enraged and ready to kick butt. Her fists clenched. She could no longer hold in her rage. "I've come to take Soul back with me!" She pursed her lips. "Even if that means killing you in the process." Soul didn't open his mouth. He knew as soon as he did the baster would go in and he would lose his will forever.
"I should have known I couldn't keep you away. Useless Giriko."
"Yes," Maka responded. She looked over at her partner who was unable to speak. "Soul..." she said tenderly. "I'm sorry. I wasn't feeling very good earlier today." She smiled, determined. "But I'm better now."
"You're an idiot if you think you can take me in this condition." Calypso took the baster and pinched Soul's cheeks together, forcing his mouth open. Maka charged forward, letting her actions speak for her. Calypso pinched Soul in the leg that was exposed with a crab pincher. As he gasped, she stuck the baster in his mouth, forcing the water down his throat.
"Soul!" Maka screamed. He fell to the floor. Calypso released the seaweed as Maka ran to his side. "Soul?" she called to him. "What was in that? Soul!"
"Maka..." he tried to push himself up, but he couldn't. The gravity was too strong. Maka watched in horror as his gaze began to soften, as though he were losing clarity. "...run..."
"What did you do?" she demanded. Calypso simply chuckled.
"What I said I would do. Take something that belongs to you..." she patted Soul on the head and he rose to his feet. He reached out his arm and it turned into a blade. "...And make it mine." Maka stood up and backed away slowly. No...she thought. This can't be happening. Soul turned into a full on scythe and landed in the hands of Calypso. "Oh dear," she said. "It seems you don't have a weapon. Well that hardly seems fair." Maka was dumbfounded. The only time she had ever seen Soul wielded by someone other than herself was that one time with Black Star in their battle against Kid. She couldn't take it. She charged forward.
"No! Let him go!" She was stopped by a forcefield wall, and flung backwards. She wasn't strong enough on her own to fight her.
"You know? You're right. I think I might like to sit this one out and let you two fight it out," Calypso mused. She let go of Soul and he turned back into a partial human. Scythes on his arms, legs and back. "Soul," she whispered. "Kill her." Soul flashed his sharp teeth but didn't say a word. Maka couldn't stop looking into his eyes. His dead, lifeless eyes. If this was the torture Calypso had in mind, she could think of nothing greater.
"Soul?" She hesitated. He lunged forward at her. She dodged just in time. "Soul! Stop!" She hoped, prayed he would hear her. That her voice would reach him and he would be free of the curse. But he simply came at her again. She ran out the door and down the hall. A million rooms to choose from and she couldn't pick a single one. Finally, she got an idea. She ran up the stairs and looked in each door. Soul was slightly behind her, his speed slowed now that he was a blind killing machine. Maka opened another door and breathed a sigh of relief. She had found it.
A Piano.
She ran up to it and started playing a song she had been practicing. In the key of G. Mary had a Little Lamb. Soul came in and seemed to be lured by the music. It touched him. But only for a moment before he sliced the piano in half, diving on top of Maka. She kicked him off and ran down the stairs again. Out of breath and unable to continue, she collapsed underneath the staircase. It wasn't long before Soul was right behind her. Soon, she was trapped. She looked deeper into his eyes. Those eyes that used to bring her life. I have to try, she thought. I have to try and resonate with him again. He swung the scythe at her and she stopped it with her hand. Her hand bled but it didn't get completely chopped off like she thought it would.
"Soul," she said solemnly. Her eyes filling with tears. "This is all my fault. I should have never mistrusted you. I shouldn't have come to your brother's house, like you told me not to. But that's just it, I never listen, do I?" He punched her in the face and sent her flying. Weak, she continued to speak. "I'm sorry, Soul. You deserve a better partner than me. I couldn't move when you needed me most. That's the worst cowardice I've ever seen. But now..." she tried to hold in her tears. "You can't give in, Soul. You are a Death Scythe. You're meant to do great things! You have to realize you're under magical influence." She sighed and put her hand on his chest. "And if killing me will wake you up, then do it." She fell to her knees. Soul looked at her for a while, confused. "Please, just get it over with. I can't fight you. I won't." He raised his blade to behead her when a whack was heard and Soul fell to the ground. Standing over him was his brother, Wes. His eyes much clearer than before.
"You have to get out of here."
"I'm not leaving without Soul!"
"He's gone, Maka! My brother is gone!" tears started to fill his eyes. "The only brother I have." Maka's jaw dropped.
"Wes?"
"I won't let you die too!" he said. His tears now fell down his cheeks. He was still slightly wobbly from the alcohol, stumbling as he walked.
"Soul's not dead, Wes! We can still save him!"
"Maka, please! It's too risky!"
"Is magic really more powerful than soul resonance?" she shook her head. "Anti-magic wavelength."
"Anti magi whaty-what?"
"Crona, a friend of mine, used to say that I had a special gift. An anti-magic wavelength. That's why I was able to defeat the Kishin."
"And you think..."
"If it really is Magic making Soul act like this, then I'm positive I can counteract it."
"Thass a little egotistical."
"Maybe," she smiled. "But it's our only chance right now. It worked with the black blood during the battle...he was able to pull me out."
"Black who?"
"Now it's my turn." She closed her eyes and put a hand on his chest. Soul, she said to him through her soul, I'm here now. No matter what, I will stay with you. I will stay with you not just because we're partners, because we're friends. I will be here. You tried so hard to keep me safe, but I guess I was doing the same for you. That's what makes us such a great team, you and I. No matter what life throws at us, we always find each other. Always.
...Maka?
Suddenly, Maka opened her eyes and she was in a large red and black room. She recognized it instantly. She was inside his soul again. This only happened when their resonance was incredibly strong.
"Soul?" She looked around to find him sitting at the piano playing a song. A song she didn't know, but had sworn she had heard before. He wasn't looking at her or acknowledging that she was there. Perhaps he didn't even know she was. She smiled. Soul was still alive. Witch's magic wasn't so powerful after all.
When she opened her eyes again, Soul was awake again, his body returned to its human state. She stared at him for a long time, and he stared at her. Slowly, he sat up to face her, still unsure of anything. They stared at each other for a long time. Soul then grabbed the back of Maka's head, rather forcibly. She didn't tremble. He gripped a clump of hair tight as though he were going to rip it out of her head. Wes stood at the ready for what might happen. Maka prepared herself. But instead of pulling her towards him, he came at her with full force. There was no hesitation as his lips smashed against hers. She was so stunned she didn't do anything.
When he had awoken, she was the first thing he saw, the first thing he remembered. The only thing in the world worth losing his life over. His dream. His muse. His sin and his redemption. As he leaped into the kiss, it was as if every inch was a new feeling, a moment of lost time in suppression he could no longer contain. He detached his lips from hers and flung his arms around her. All the times he wanted to save her, because she always was the one to save him. He felt himself trembling. His eyes growing glossy and his mind going numb.
She had almost disappeared. He held her tighter. She was almost gone. That was always going to happen, he realized. There would always be something trying to take her away from him. He couldn't always be there. But he didn't care. All that meant was that he got to fight harder and hold her closer. He didn't care if he looked like a wreck. He didn't even care if that wasn't considered cool. Maka, his partner, had saved him once again. At last they could be together. Just for that moment. And he would make it last as long as possible.
